Type printing apparatus with motion generator and indicating means



Dec. 27, 1966 Filed March 25, 1963 P MASON F. TYPE PRINTING APPARATUS WITH MOTION GENERATOR AND INDICATING MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 TYPE Wl/EE L saw/vow Q Q) 7 504 ENO/O M0 702 I l4 M0 TOR 7 J Inventor CZUTCH /3 FREDERICK 1. MASON fl/f/EAENT/AL GEAR Dec. 27, 1966 F. P. MASON TYPE PRINTING APPARATUS WITH MOTION GENERATOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FREDERICK R MASON A Home y United States Patent O 3 294 211 TYPE PRINTING APPARATUS WITH MOTION GENERATOR AND INDICATING MEANS Frederick Percival Mason, Croydon, England, assignor to Creed & Company Limited, Croydon, England, a British company Filed Mar. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 267,661 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Mar. 30, 1962, 12,287/ 62 2 Claims. (Cl. 19748) This invention relates to improvements in or relating to type printing apparatus.

In all known classes of type printing apparatus, for example, teleprinter, using a type-wheel, the wanted typeface for a character to be printed, as often as not, moves to a printing position by a route which is not the shorter of two possible routes that can be taken. As an example, a unidirectional type-wheel having, for example, 8 positions has to move seven-eighths of a revolution when the character to be printed is in a position where a movement of one-eighth of a revolution in the opposite direction would bring it to the printing position. An oscillatory type-wheel, as is characteristic of aggregate motion type-wheel control systems, suffers from a similar disadvantage. Ideally no type-wheel should have to move more than a half a revolution to bring the required typeface to the printing position. Compared with a type- Wheel that may have to move seven-eighths of a revolution, the necessary deployment of energy of a type-wheel having to move only a half a revolution is only one third, such an advantage would lead to higher operating speeds for given wear of dynamic components and less expenditure of power, or to less wear or power expenditure for a given operating speed. For a type-wheel to move a wanted typeface to a printing position from some other position by the shorter route, it is necessary that the typewheel shall be bi-directional in its rotation and to an unlimited degree. The extent and direction of the required movement can be determined by simple binary logic applied through logic circuitry to electro-mechanical apparatus in the form of a type-wheel motion generator.

According to a first aspect of the present invention therefore there is provided typeprinting apparatus including a motion generator for a type-Wheel having a plurality of typefaces thereon and electronic circuit means for selectively positioning any one of said typefaces to a printing position by the shortest route thereto.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided typeprinting apparatus including a motion generator for a type-wheel having a plurality of typefaces disposed therearound, and electronic circuit means for indicating the position of anyone of the said typefaces with respect to a printing position, for selectng a typeface for movement thereof to the said printing position, and for causing said motion generator to effect said movement.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided typeprinting apparatus including a motion generator for a type-wheel having a plurality of typefaces, disposed therearound, and electronic circuit means for indicating the position of anyone of the said typefaces with respect to a printing position, for selecting a typeface for movement thereof to the said printing position, and for causing said motion generator to effect said movement of the said selected typeface to the printing position by the shortest route thereto.

Embodiments of the invention are now to be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a type-wheel motion generator for a type-wheel, having four typefaces, together with a schematic of electronic logic circuitry for effecting movement of the type-wheel to bring a Wanted type- ICC face thereon into a position for effecting a printing operation from another typeface position, by the shortest route.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic of a type-wheel motion generator for a type-wheel having eight typefaces.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic of electronic logic circuitry for effecting movement of the type-wheel of FIG. 2 to bring a wanted typeface thereon into a position foreffecting a printing operation from another typeface position, by the shortest route.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a type-wheel 1 is rotatable in either of two directions by the output shaft 2 of a well-known type of differential gear 3, the input shafts to which differential gear are designated 13 and 14. The gearing ratio of the differential is such that for one revolution of shaft 13 the output shaft 2 is permitted to move through one quarter of a revolution in a clockwise direction, and for one revolution of shaft 14 the output shaft 2 is permitted to move through one half a revolution in an anticlockwise direction. Rotary inputs to shafts 13 and 14 from motors 8 and 9 respectively is effected through shafts 10 and 11 via one-shot clutches 4 and 5. These one-shot clutches are of a well-known type, the operation of which is controlled by magnetic means such as a solenoid. Such means are designated 6 for clutch 4, and 7 for clutch 5. If, for example, an electric current signal is applied to the magnetic control means 6, the clutch 4 is permitted to transmit the rotary input of shaft 10 to the shaft 13 for one revolution only. Similarly if an electric current signal is applied to magnetic control means 7, the clutch 5 is permitted to transmit the rotary input of shaft 11 to shaft 14 for one revolution only. The shaft 2 carries thereon a wiper arm 12 which is arranged to engage any one of four stator contacts designated SCI, SC2, SC3 and SC4 which stator contacts are particular to typeface positions P1, P2, P3 and P4 respectively on the type-Wheel 1. It is by means of the wiper arm 12 that the present position of the type-wheel is indicated to electronic logic circuitry in order that a required typeface may be moved to a position for effecting a printing operation. The wiper arm 12 is electrically connected to one side of a source of electric potential EP, whilst stator contacts SC1 to 5C4 inclusive are respectively electrically connected to the column wires T1 to T4 of a matrix of 2-way electronic AND gates which form part of logic circuitry, the operation of which circuitry is later to be described. The row wires of the matrix are each electrically connected to the other side of the source of electric potential E? by way of contacts C1 to C4 inclusive. Closure of contact C1 is effected by depression of Key K1 particular thereto, closure of contact C2 is effected by depression of Key K2 and so on.

It will readily be understood that if, for example, contact C2 is closed and wiper arm 12 is engaging stator contact SCI, then gate G21 will be energised to give an electric current signal output, The electric current signal output from each 2-way AND gate is applied to one of three OR gates, which are designated 0R1 to 0R3 inclusive. The inputs to these OR gates from the 2-way AND" gates are designated by the 2-way AND gate references, i.e., OR gate 0R1 has inputs from 2-way AND gates G12, G23, G34, and G41; OR gate 0R2 has inputs from 2-way AND gates G13, G24, G31 and G42; and OR gate 0R3 has inputs from 2-Way AND gates G14, G21, G32 and G43. Any output from OR gate 0R1 is applied to a column wire L1 via a diode connection D4, any output from OR gate 0R2 is applied to a column wire L2 via a diode connection D3, and any output from OR gate 0R3 is applied to both column wires L1 and L2 via diode connections D1 and D2 respectively. Electric current signal outputs appearing on column wires L1 and L2 are applied respectively to ampli- 3 fiers A1 and A2 which effect amplification of these signals and in turn apply them to the magnetic control means 6 and 7 respectively, to cause operation of their respective one-shot clutches4 and 5 to effect repositioning of the type-Wheel 1.

An example of the manner in which the typehead 1 is moved to bring a required typeface into a printing position, with respect to the printing medium PM, is now to 'be described. If, for example, the type-wheel 1 is in such a position that the typeface P1 is presenting itself, in a printing position, to the printing medium PM, and it is desired to move typeface position P4 to that position, then selection of the desired typeface is initially effected by depression of Key K4. Depression of this Key closes contact C4, and since wiper 12 is engaging stator contact SCl to indicate that typeface P1 is in a printing position the row and column wires to 2-way AND gate G41 are energised, this gate being particular to the combination of typeface P1 being in the printing position and typeface P4 selected for movement thereto.

Gate 41 is therefore triggered to deliver an electric current signal output to OR gate 0R1 which, in turn, delivers an electric current signal output to amplifier A1 via diode connection D4 and line L1. This electric current signal is amplified iby amplifier A1 and conducted to magnetic control means 6 of the motion generator to permit the rotary input of shaft to one-shot clutch 4 from motor 8 to be applied via shaft 13, to the differential 3 for one revolution. In consequence, output shaft 2 of the difierential 3, is caused to turn through one quarter of a revolution in a clockwise direction, This brings typeface position F4 on the type-wheel 1 into a printing position, with respect to the printing medium PM by the shortest route.

If, as a further example, the type-wheel is in such a position that the typeface P2 is presenting itself in a printing position to the printing medium PM and it is desired to move typeface position P3 to that position, then selection of the desired typeface is initially effected by depression of Key K3. Depression of this Key closes contact C3, and since wiper 12 is engaging stator contact SCZ the row and column wires to 2-way AND gate G32 are energised. This gate is therefore triggered to deliver an electric current signal output to OR gate 0R3 which, in turn, delivers an electric current signal output to both amplifiers A1 and A2, via diode connection D1 and D2, and lines L1 and L2. The resulting amplified electric current signals, from amplifiers A1 and A2, are conducted to the magnetic control means 6 and 7 respectively of the motion generator to permit the rotary inputs of shafts 10 and 11, from motors 8 and 9 to oneshot clutches 4 and 5 to be applied via shafts 13 and 14 to the differential 3 for one revolution. The resultant rotation of output shaft 2 will be a quarter of a revolution in an anticlockwise direction to bring the typeface P3 into the printing position with respect to the printing medium PM. This resultant rotation is brough about by the fact that for one revolution of shaft 13 output shaft 2 rotates in a clockwise direction through one quarter of a revolution, and that for one revolution of shaft 14 the output shaft 2 rotates in an anticlockwise direction through one half of a revolution. This resultant rotation being the difference.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show another embodiment of the invention, and in particular FIG. 2 shows a type-wheel motion generator for a type-Wheel 15 (shown in plan view and side elevation) having 8 type faces designated PT1 vto PT8. This particular embodiment employs two differential gears 16 and 17 of a well-known type and three one-shot clutches 18, 19 and 20. The output shaft 21 to the type-Wheel 15 is from differential gear 16, inputs to difierential gear 16 are from one-shot clutch 18 via shaft 22 and from difierential 17 via shaft 23. Inputs to differential gear 17 are from one-shot clutches 19 and 4 20 via shafts 24 and 25 respectively; and rotatory inputs from motors 26, 27 and 28 to one-shot clutches 18, 19 and 20 are via shafts 29, 30 and 31 respectively. The gearing ratio of differential 17 is such that for one revolution of shaft 24 from one-shot clutch 19, the output shaft 23 of differential 17 makes /s of a revolution in an anticlockwise direction. For one revolution of shaft 25, from one-shot clutch 20, the output shaft 23 of differential 17 makes of a revolution in an anticlockwise direction. A combination of inputs to differential 17 of one revolution from each of one-shot clutches 19 and 20 results in output shaft 23 of differential 17 making of a revolution in an anticlockwise direction.

The gearing ratio of differential 16 is such that the output of shaft 21 therefore is in a ratio of 1:1 to the input thereto from shaft 23, the direction of rotation of shaft 21 being in a clockwise direction.

The gearing ratio of differential 16 is such that for one revolution of shaft 22, from one-shot clutch 18, the output shaft 21 of differential 16 makes /2 revolution in an anticlockwise direction.

The table appended below shows the outputs of shaft 21 I Shaft 24 Shaft 25 Shaft 23 Shaft 22 Shaft 21 1 ACW ACW 1 ACW ACW l ACW 1 AOW ACW 1 AGW 1 ACW ACW 1 ACW ACW 1 ACW ACW The output shaft 21 from differential 16 carries thereon a wiper arm 32 which is arranged to engage any one of the stator contacts designated STC1 to STCS, which stator contacts are particular to typeface positions PT 1 to PT8 respecively on the type-wheel 15.

It is ;by means of the wiper arm 32 that the present position of the type-wheel 15 is indicated to logic circuitry in order that a required typeface may be moved to a position for effecting a printing operation. The wiper arm 32 is electrically connected to one side of a source of electric potential SEP, whilst stator contacts STC1 to STC8 inclusive are respectively connected to the column wires STI to 8T8 of a matrix of twoway electronic AND gates which form part of the logic circuitry now to be described with reference to FIG. 3. The row wires of the matrix are each e1ectrically connected to the other side of the source of electric potential SEP, by way of contacts CS1 to CS8 inclusive closure of contact CS1 is effected by depression of key KS1 particular thereto, closure of contact CS2 is effected by depression of key KS2 and so on.

It will be readily understood that if contact CS2 is closed and Wiper arm 32 is engaging stator contact STC1 then gate GT21 will be energised to give an electric current signal output. The electric current signal output from each Z-way AND gate is applied to one of seven OR gates which are designated ORG1 to ORG7 inclusive. The inputs to these OR" gates from 2-Way AND gates are designated by the 2-way AND gate references, i.e. OR gate ORG1 has inputs from 2-way AND gates GT18, GT21', GT32, GT43, GT54, GT65, GT76 and GT87. Any output from OR gate ORG1 is applied to a column wires CL1, CL2 and CL3 via diode connections DCl, DC2 and D03. Electric current signal outputs appearing on column wires CL1, CL2 and CL3 are applied respectively to amplifiers AM1, AM2 and AM3 which effect amplification of these signals and in turn apply them to the magnetic control means 33, 34 and 35 respectively, to cause operation of their respective one-shot clutches 18, 19 and 20 (FIG. 2) to effect repositioning of the typewheel 15.

An example of the manner in which the type-wheel 15 is moved to bring a required typeface into a printing position, with respect to a printing medium PM is now to be described. If for example, the type-wheel 15 is in such a position that the typeface PT1 is presenting itself, in a printing position, to the printing medium PM and it is desired to move typeface position PT5 to that position, then selection of the desired typeface is initially effected by depression of key KS5. Depression of this key closes contact CS5, and since wiper arm 32 is engaging stator contact STCl, the row and column wires to AND" gate GTE-1 are energised. This gate is therefor triggered to deliver an electric current signal output to OR gate O=RG4 which, in turn, delivers an electric current signal output to amplifier AM3 via diode connection DC4 and line CL3. This electric current signal is amplified by amplifier AM3 and conducted to magnetic control means 33 to permit the rotary input from shaft 29 to one-shot clutch 18 from motor 26 to be applied via shaft 22 to the differential 16 for one revolution. In consequence, and as will be seen from the foregoing table, output shaft 21 of the differential 16 rotates through one half of a revolution in an anticlockwise direction. This moves the type-wheel through four typeface positions to bring typeface position PTS thereon into a printing position with respect to the printing medium PM by one of the two shortest routes. A further example of the manner in which the type-wheel 15 is moved to bring a required typeface into a printing position now to be described. If, for example, the typewheel 15 is in such a position that the typeface PT3 is presenting itself, in a printing position, to the printing medium PM and it is desired to move typeface position PT8 to that position the selection of the desired typeface is initially effected by depression of key KS8. Depression of this key closes contact CS8, and since wiper arm 32 is engaging stator contact STCS, the row and column wires to AND gate GT83 are energised. This gate is therefore triggered to deliver an electric current sig nal output to OR" gate ORG7 which in turn, delivers an electric current signal output to amplifiers AM1 and AM2, via diode connections DCS and DC6 and lines CL1 and CL2 respectively. These electric current signals are amplified by amplifiers AM1 and AM2 and conducted to magnetic control means 34 and 35- to permit rotary inputs from shafts 30 and 31 to one-shot clutches 19 and 20, from motors 27 and 28, to be applied to differential 17 for one revolution, by way of shafts 24 and 25. In consequence, and as will be seen from the foregoing table, the output from shaft 23 of differential 17 to differential 16 is of a revolution, and the output from shaft 21 of differential 17 is also of a revolu tion in a clockwise direction.

This moves the type-wheel 15 through three typeface positions to bring typeface position PTS thereon into a printing position with respect to the printing medium PM by the shortest route.

There are occasions, when changing typeface positions, when outputs from all one-shot clutches are utilised to effect the repositioning of the typewheel. One such occasion is when the type-wheel 15 is in such a position that typeface PT2 is presenting itself torward the printing medium PM and it is desired to bring typeface PT3 into the printing position, i.e. a movement of the typewheel through one typeface position. In this case selection of typeface PT3 is initially effected by depression of key KS3. Depression of this key closes contact CS3, and since wiper arm 32 is engaging stator contact STC2 the row and column wires to AND gate GT32 are energised. This gate is therefore triggered to deliver an electric current signal output to OR gate ORGI which, in turn, delivers an electric current signal output to amplifiers AM1, AM2 and AM3, via diode connections DC1, D02 and D03 and lines CL1, CL2 and CL3 respectively. These electric current signals are amplified by these amplifiers and conducted to magnetic control means 34, 3 5 and 33 to permit rotary inputs from shafts 30, 31 and 29, to one-shot clutches 19, 20 and 18 from motors 27, 28 and 26 respectively to be applied to their respective differentials by way of shafts 24, 25 and 22. In consequence the outputs from shafts 24 and 25 of one-shot clutches 19 and 20 will result in an output from differential gear 17 of of a revolution, and an input to differential 16 of the same amount, the input to differential 16 from one-shot clutch 18 via shaft 22 is one revolution. Since an output from shaft 21 of differential 16 for an input of one revolution thereto from shaft 22 would be /2 revolution in an anticlockwise direction, and since an output from shaft 21 of differential 16 for an input of of a revolution from shaft 23 would be of the same amount in a clockwise direction, then the resultant output of shaft 21 for these inputs would be the greater minus the lesser, i.e. /2 revolution anticlockwise less of a revolution clockwise when it is equal to A; of a revolution anticlockwise of shaft 21. Thus typeface PT 3 is brought into a printing position with respect to the printing medium PM. It will be obvious that inputs either directly, or indirectly through differential gear 17, to differential gear 16 from any one, a combination of two, or combination of three one-shot clutches 18, 19 and 20 will result in a rotary output of shaft 21 of differential gear 16 to effect movement of the type-wheel 15. Well-known means may be utilised for rocking the typewheel toward the printing medium or vice-versa to effect a printing operation.

It will readily be understood that one of a number forms of means may be employed for indicating the position of a typeface of the type-wheel with respect to the printing position. For example, a plurality of photocells, one for each typeface position could be equispaced around the output shaft of the differential carrying the type-wheel, and on which shaft a mirror could be mounted and arranged to reflect light, from a suitably mounted source or sources, back into a photocell each time a type face was in a printing position. The resulting photocell output could be utilised to energise a particular AND gate of the matrix dependent on which pair of contacts, of the pairs of contacts to the row wires of the matrix, was closed. Such contacts to the row wires couldalso be replaced by some form of electronic switching means, operating in conjunction with one of the photocells, to energise a selected one of the AND gates of the matrix.

Although, for the purposes of description, only one bank of typefaces has been shown, it will be obvious that a plurality of banks of typefaces arranged vertically, one on top of the other, may be employed. Well-known means may be used to select a particular bank of typefaces for positioning with respect to printing medium.

By increasing the number of AND gates in a matrix and the OR gates and bysuitably modifying the motion generating mechanism by the addition of a further differential or differentials and means for applying inputs thereto, it is possible to increase the typeface capacity of a type-Wheel as required, i.e. 1 6, 32, 64 positions, etc.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description of specific examples of this invention is not to be considered as a limitation on its scope.

What I claim is:

1. Type printing apparatus comprising:

a type-Wheel having a plurality of typefaces disposed therearound;

a motion generator mechanically coupled to said typewheel;

means for indicating whichever one of said typefaces on said type-wheel is in a printing position;

means for selecting anyone of said typefaces for movement to said printing position;

a matrix of AN-D gates, one for each combination of a current setting of said type-wheel and a desired setting of said type-wheel to move a selected typeface thereon to said printing position, and each adapted when energized by said indicating and selecting means to deliver an electric current signal output in accordance with said indication and selection, which electric current signal output from an AND gate corresponds to a required movement of the type- Wheel between said current and a desired setting thereof;

a plurality of electronic OR gates coupled to said AND gates each of which is arranged todeliver an electric current signal output on receipt of an electric current signal input from one of said plurality of AND gates; and

amplifier means coupled to said OR gates for amplifying the electric current output from one of said OR gates and for applying the amplified signal to 8 said motion generator to effect movement of the said selected typeface to the printing position.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said motion generator includes differential gear means having a plurality of input shafts and at least one output shaft which is arranged to rotate said type-wheel, driving means for imparting rotary movement to said input shafts, clutch means interconnecting said drive means and said input shafts, and means responsive to an electric current signal from said amplifier means for causing operation of said clutches to impart said rotary movement to said input shafts from said driving means to elfect movement of said selected typeface to said printing position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,680,970 6/1954 Durkee 17834 2,927,676 3/1960 Abbondanza 197-6.6 2,989,680 6/1961 Weiser et a1. 340-3473 3,080,511 3/1963 Coady-Farley et a1. 340-347.3 3,227,258 l/ 1966 Pannier et .al. 197-6.6

ROBERT E. PU-LFR-EY, Primary Examiner.

R. H. ROSE, Examiner.

A. I. DUNN, E. S. BURR, Assistant Examiners. 

1. TYPE PRINTING APPARATUS COMPRISING: A TYPE-WHEEL HAVING A PLURALITY OF TYPEFACES DISPOSED THEREAROUND; A MOTION GENERATOR MECHANICALLY COUPLED TO SAID TYPEWHEEL; MEANS FOR INDICATING WHICHEVER ONE OF SAID TYPEFACES ON SAID TYPE-WHEEL IS IN A PRINTING POSITION; MEANS FOR SELECTING ANYONE OF SAID TYPEFACES FOR MOVEMENT TO SAID PRINTING POSITION; A MATRIX OF "AND" GATES, ONE FOR EACH COMBINATION OF A CURRENT SETTING OF SAID TYPE-WHEEL AND A DESIRED SETTING OF SAID TYPE-WHEEL TO MOVE A SELECTED TYPEFACE THEREON TO SAID PRINTING POSITION, AND EACH ADAPTED WHEN ENERGIZED BY SAID INDICATING AND SELECTING MEANS TO DELIVER AND ELECTRIC CURRENT SIGNAL OUTPUT IN ACCORDANCE WITH SAID INDICATION AND SELECTION, WHICH ELECTRIC CURRENT SIGNAL OUTPUT FROM AN "AND" GATE CORRESPONDS TO A REQUIRED MOVEMENT OF THE TYPEWHEEL BETWEEN SAID CURRENT AND A DESIRED SETTING THEREOF; A PLURALITY OF ELECTRONIC "OR" GATES COUPLED TO SAID "AND" GATES EACH OF WHICH IS ARRANGED TO DELIVER AN ELECTRIC CURRENT SIGNAL OUTPUT ON RECEIPT OF AN ELECTRIC CURRENT SIGNAL INPUT FROM ONE OF SAID PLURALITY OF "AND" GATES; AND AMPLIFIER MEANS COUPLED TO SAID "OR" GATES FOR AMPLIFYING THE ELECTRIC CURRENT OUTPUT FROM ONE OF SAID "OR" GATES AND FOR APPLYING THE AMPLIFIED SIGNAL TO SAID MOTION GENERATOR TO EFFECT MOVEMENT OF THE SAID SELECTED TYPEFACE TO THE PRINTING POSITION. 